Teleradiology Customer Base Evolving

    OREM, UT, October 20, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The client for teleradiology is shifting according to new research from independent healthcare technology research firm KLAS. Teleradiology contracts have been held historically by local radiology groups; however, in a newly published report, KLAS found that hospitals and clinics now hold close to 40 percent of teleradiology contracts.

"It was surprising to see this shift in teleradiology contracts from radiology groups to a mixture that includes radiology groups, hospitals and clinics. In several situations teleradiology decisions are being made at the health system level," explained Emily Crane, KLAS research director and author of the report.

The inaugural "Teleradiology Study 2010: A Detailed Read on the Market" report reviews four national and four smaller teleradiology vendors. Of these, smaller teleradiology companies showed performance scores as high as--and in some cases higher than--large, national companies.

"National companies like NightHawk and vRad still get the most attention from providers," Crane said. "However, some regional vendors, such as NightRays and Alta Vista, are delivering flexibility, communication, and read quality that is highly competitive with the national vendors in this study."

The study also notes a very promising market, with 80 percent of interviewed providers anticipating increased teleradiology volumes over the next few years. "Several providers also mentioned a desire for more final reads from their teleradiology company. Because so many are now getting or looking to get final reads quality and consistency becomes paramount," said Crane.

The top-rated national vendor in "Teleradiology Study 2010: A Detailed Read on the Market" was Virtual Radiologic, with a score of 89.7 out of 100. Other vendors studied in the report include: Alta Vista Radiology, Imaging On Call, Nighthawk, NightRays, ONRAD, Radisphere and Teleradiology Solutions.

For more information about the teleradiology market, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of participating vendors, "Teleradiology Study 2010: A Detailed Read on the Market" is available to healthcare providers online for a significant discount off the standard retail price. To purchase the full report, healthcare providers and vendors can visit www.KLASresearch.com/reports.

KLAS is a research firm specializing in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare vendors. KLAS' mission is to improve delivery, by independently measuring vendor performance for the benefit of our healthcare provider partners, consultants, investors, and vendors. Working together with executives from over 4500 hospitals and over 2500 clinics, KLAS delivers timely reports, trends, and statistics, which provide a solid overview of vendor performance in the industry. KLAS measures performance of software, professional services, and medical equipment vendors. For more information, go to www.KLASresearch.com, email [email protected], or call 1-800-920-4109 to speak with a KLAS representative.

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